billh

That's No.7, Park Lock or Wood's lock , Mr & Mrs Walter Woods(lock keepers) lived in the still extant cottage there. Deepest lock is 10 as Alan pointed out , comparable with Marple Top but a bit deeper. I have mentioned before on here that lock 4 currently with a fall of around 3ft is actually as deep as eg 5 or 7 at around 12ft but mining subsidence in the 1950s mucked it up.

In 1974 I was shown round a Humber barge moored at Nottingham. The owner had fitted a V16 Glenifer of 320HP. It had been a standby generator in a hospital. A huge thing with ,I guess, a matching fuel consumption. Years later I looked at a Glenifer at Tarleton, it was either three or four cylinders, the interesting part was the capstan winch stuck out of the top of the gearbox , was this for hauling trawl nets? That capstan would be great for dragging a NB off the mud on our shallow canals! Sorry I can't help with spares.

Lots of engines do this until warmed up. As I understand it, the lubricating oil around the governor mechanism is a bit sticky when cold so the speed control of the governor becomes sluggish. Once warmed up, the mechanism works as it should. Reference videos on the net of older railway locos starting from cold, the engine speed is all over the place to start with but gradually improves as they warm up.

Sincere condolences to you Patrick and Ade. I have known your father for about 50 years via Uncle Irv. He was always the fount of all knowledge concerning railways & canals particularly in the North West. I attended several of his nightschool classes in Marple a few years ago featuring many of his vast collection of slides,he had a story to go with each one. A remarkable man ,who will be sadly missed.

Just come up from Brum, through Manchester to Ashton. Very few boats actually on the move anywhere. However, many boats were moored not moving particularly at Nantwich, seemed like miles of boats, many with people aboard .Perhaps " we can't go anywhere cos of water shortage" so staying put. Normal water levels on all canals except part of Rochdale 9 and summit of Ashton (about 6ins down). Slight delays at Audlem with slow boats.

A wood burner?

I visited the abandoned site of Mr Shackleton's boat yard in the early 1980s, I must be mistaken about its location , that is , it wasn't at the junction but further along adjacent to , as I recall ,derelict locks. It was certainly a boaty sort of place with engines and boat parts scattered around- some deal had been done with an aquaintance for purchase of the more valuable items. I see that a railway bridge over the canal was replaced with an embankment , cutting off the canal near the junction, when was this?.Perhaps this was reason for closure of the yard?

Am I correct in thinking there was a boatyard at the junction of this canal in the 1970's? I was told it was owned by a Mr Michael(?) Shackleton who was the grandson of explorer Earnest Shackleton. Can anyone confirm?

Original fuel filter is a felt /metal mesh canister on the side of the engine, it just needs cleaning out from time to time with paraffin or diesel. You would be unlikely to get a new element but doubt you need one.. I can't remember what happens with the oil, it might just have a perforated screen in the sump. I'll have a look at our 1941 vintage loco in a day or two.

The canal doesn't go under the station,though the trams & a couple of streets do. I do agree that the under ground bit of canal is not very pleasant, best to ignore any of the harmless lurkers there. Boating through there earlier this year I was pleased to see it was clean and tidy with most of the lighting in working order. One top gate on the lock (towpath side?) was out of use,stuck closed.

It was £6.50 each way in 1977. In those days you got to share locks with coasters from the ICI, so well worth the expense😀

Though fair to point out that neither place is under the control of Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority, they are in Cheshire, so different rules apply.

Pedestrian access is not permitted at our local (Greater Manchester) re-cycling centres, so turning up with your disposables in a wheelbarrow won't get you anywhere. For example. the huge Bailey Street site in Stalybridge is a couple of hundred yards from the Huddersfield Narrow, but you would have to have a car or van to access.

It will make a lot of different sounds depending on how you set those switches on the back.